Tourist Places to Visit in Congo, Central Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Congo, Central Africa, Africa

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is an African country situated in the African Great Lakes region at 2.88° S 23.656° E. To differentiate it from the nearby country the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), the Democratic Republic of the Congo is called by the different names such as DR Congo, DRC, Congo-Kinshasa and Congo-Zaire. In terms of area (2,345,409 sq. km), DRC is Africa’s 2^nd largest country, after Algeria and 4^th largest in terms of population (around 77 million) in Africa.

Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of DRC. Although being economically one of the underdeveloped countries, DRC is well known among tourists, especially people who are fond of nature and wildlife.

History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

The history of DRC begins with Belgian exploration in the 1870s, led by Sir Henry Morton Stanley and it thoroughly came under the sovereignty of Belgium in 1908 with title the Belgian Congo. Finally DRC became an independent country on 30 June 1960 and the head of the Mouvement National Congolais party, Patrice Lumumba became as the first prime minister of DRC.

Getting the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

The N’djili Airport in the capital Kinshasa is the most important airport of DRC. This airport connects DRC to Istanbul, Johannesburg, Casablanca, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Brussels, Paris, Douala and Lagos.

The bus transportation of DRC extends to Uganda and DRC can be reached by train from Zambia. Intercity train service is not upgraded in DRC but bus services are relatively better than train service.

Culture, Food and Shopping in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

The population of DRC is formed by hundreds of different ethnic groups with their own dialects. The recognized languages of DRC include Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili and Tshiluba.

Cassava is the Congolese’s major staple food and other popular dishes in DRC include Pili pili, Moambe, Fufu and Mbembe.

Congolese franc is the currency used in DRC. Kitchen devices, handicraft products and clothes are cheaper and popular in DRC.

Places to see in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

Virunga National Park:

The Virunga National Park is the first national park of Africa (1925) and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Covering an area of 7,800 sq. km, the park is highlighted by mountain gorillas and the lava lake of the Nyiragongo Volcano. Goma is the nearest city to VNP.

Mount Nyiragongo:

Lying around 3470 meters above sea level, the Mount Nyiragongo is a stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains, situated around 20 km away from the city of Goma. This natural eruption phenomenon attracts a large number of tourists from all around Africa.

Boyoma Falls:

The Boyoma Falls is a spectacular water fall in Kisangani of Democratic Republic of the Congo, formed by Lualaba River. It is situated near the city of Kisangani, can be well explored well through a guided tour.

Garamba National Park:

Established in 1938, the Garamba National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the Orientale Province of DRC. Covering an area of 4,920 km², the park is mainly famous among visitors for elephant and rhino population.

Okapi Wildlife Reserve:

World Heritage Site, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve is located in the Ituri Forest, spanning over an area of 14,000 km². The park features diverse geographical characteristics like rivers, mountains and dense floral species. The park is also noted for the population of 4,000 elephants, 2,000 leopards and 5,000 okapis.

List of other places of interest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

Congo River
Lake Kivu
Livingstone Falls
Lola ya Bonobo
Kahuzi-Biéga National Park
Salonga National Park
Maiko National Park
Jardin d’Eden
Petites Chutes de la Lukaya
Lukaya River

Best time to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

Generally from June to September is the best time to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo, when dry season runs in the country.

Accommodation options in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

The hospitality industry of DRC is modernly upgraded and most of its star rated top class hotels are concentrated in the capital city, Kinshasa. Apart from amenities, DRC’s hotels are also popular among visitors for a variety of mouthwatering traditional delicacies. Some prominent hotels in DRC (Kinshasa) include: